1. The Wedding at Cana
The wedding at Cana is not explicitly identified in the Bible as to whose wedding it was. However, since Jesus’ mother attended and Mary took the initiative when the wine ran out, it is often interpreted as a close family member, typically a relative. In this narrative, it is set as the wedding of Mary’s closest friend’s son to contrast the worldly view of marriage with Jesus’ perspective.
You might have noticed an unusual question in the text: “Why hasn’t your son married yet?” This is a question about Jesus’ marriage that does not appear in the Bible. We often focus on Jesus’ divinity when reading the Bible, so we rarely think about such aspects. However, considering that Jesus lived a life similar to ours before starting his ministry, it is likely he heard such questions from those around him.
The question “When are you ever going to get married?” can be daunting for a bachelor.
Of course, Jesus’ bride is the new Jerusalem—that is, the church and the saints—as mentioned in Ephesians and Revelation.
“Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.” (Ephesians 5:22–27, WEB)
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to him: for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. It was given to her that she should be arrayed in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7–8, WEB)
“I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2, WEB)
“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here. I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,” (Revelation 21:9–10, WEB)
2. The Death of Joseph
The Bible does not mention when Joseph died. There are no records after the accounts of Jesus’ birth and his visit to the temple at age twelve in Luke. Many scholars believe that Joseph passed away before Jesus began his public ministry. However, in this narrative, Joseph’s death is set to occur when Jesus was in his late teens.
